USA: Del Monte Pacific to close and sell facilities

Del Monte Pacific, a leading fruit and vegetable processor, has announced plans to divest production facilities of its US subsidiary Del Monte Foods, including the closure of two production facilities and the sale of another.

The facilities to be closed are located at Sleepy Eye, MN and Mendota, IL, where production is set to cease at the end of the current pack season. A third plant in Cambria, WI, will be sold as an operating facility. The company will also be selling manufacturing assets at its Crystal City, TX site and said it intended to transfer from here to outside locations later in the year.

“This decision has been difficult and has come after careful consideration”, said Del Monte Pacific managing director and CEO Joselito D Campos. “This restructuring is a necessary step for us to remain competitive in a rapidly changing marketplace. Our asset-light strategy will lead to more efficient and lower cost operations”.